Machine for the treatment of skins and leather



D. MERCIER.

MACHINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF SKINS AND LEATHER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29.1921.-

1,41 1,056. I Patented Mar. 28, 1922. v

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVEN T OR Darn d Mrcwr N3 ATTOR NEY.

D. MERCIER..

' MACHINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF SKINS AND LEATHER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29.1921. 1

1,41 1,056. Patented Mar. 28, 1922 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\NVENTOR 'D L J Mar c mr his ATTUR UNITED gSTATES DANIEL EncIER, or ANNONAY,nnnnonn' rnnnon.

Y MKGHINE Eon Tim or "SKTNSYYANDZ'LEATHER.

Specification of Letters-Patent; Pat nted'MgmrjZS; 1922',

Application 'filed June 29, lieeicljserial Iva-481,208-

This .inventionrelates to'a machine for the treatment of skins and leather and is characterized chiefly in that it comprises two endless aprons or belts moving the same direction-and entering in contact with each other upon a certain portion of t hgeir length constituting the active portion of the two aprons between which is engaged, the skin under treatment, "one of the said aprons being provided withblades and theother with .air-infiatingacushions, the said. aprons being caused to press upon each other atstated in- ,tervals at various points oftheiractive surfacesv in such manner as to ahollow andto bend-the said skin at the, same timethat it is stretched by the machine. Other features .of the invention will beset [forth in the following description. x .11 l v The accompanying drawings show way of example various embodiments 0' this invention. f 4

Fig, 1 is an elevationalvview of a machine for the treatment of skins of leather according to .this invention. 1 1

.Fig. 2 is acorrespond'ng plan view, with the upper part of the machine removed.

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of a modified form of construction of the said, .machine. 1 I

4 is an ,end elevation of the machine as viewed from the left hand side, this being .a diagrammatic and partial view;

F -5 isaa detail view showing the device for securing the blades to the lower apron. Fig. {6 is ,also a detailview, showing the construction of the air-inflated cushion.

I ,As-shown in Figs. .1 and .2, the frame of -theena'chine is constituted by two parallel castwiron side-pieces 1 which are crosssconerected by suitable members. On the :lower part of the machine 5 are "mounted the rollers "5 6 and 7 between the side-pieces .1. The

.said rollers have disposed thereon an endless apron 2 formed by a chain, abelt, or

:a belt assembled with a chain; Upon the i ewe mon ey 2 a e h (properly spaced apartf The roller is used toac'tuatethe apron 2 and is driven by the pulleys 4 through .the smedium of the 1 gear wheels 8 and 9. The roller? serves for stretching or tightening purposes, and .it may be; raised or lowered by the handwheel 11 operatinga screw and a, forked member 12 carrying-the, roller 7., At the front-part of the machine; is asheet metal cover- 13 placed overgthe apron 2 where the latter passesoverithe first roller; 6." ,The -aux i-liary :rol lers li rlfij lfi of the apron 2 are mounted loose on their axles, these latter be ngstationary withgreferenceto the side P e 1- Y V Atvthe np er part of the machine, the rollers 17;, 1-8, 19 vare.mounted between the side-pieces.- ,A pivoted vframe .is formed by the parallel inclined= links .5 Q.- -w hich are 2P t ItMhB X S fJ ev l lersfi, and by. the, horizontal connecting bars 51 having journaled thereon theKillers/20, 2 1,

=T-he rollers 17 to 22 have disposed thereon the apron 23 which is constitutedby a zbelt,la chain, or a belt and ,chain ZQ OIHblIled. :Ilpon the said apron: are,mounted thepsmall air-inflated cushions 2.4. which are suitably spaced apart- Thefipivoted frame 50,; 51

is g-iven a reciprocating movement by -means :of a" pair of links 26 actuated by. a lever 27 pivotedlto an axle "52 and carryinglat the .lower part thereof a roller 28 co-operatin with the cam 29. This cam:29 is. actuate by 'suitable means, for instance by a chain ,disposedupon the sprocket wheels'30, 31. The -roller119- actuates :the apron 23 and is driven by-the pulleys 4 through the intermediary of the gear wheels 8,-8, 32. The roller 18 serves as; a stretching device by the use of the handwheel 33. Theswinging lever 27 is provided with a longitudinal slot through which the pivot 52 is adapted flto extend and in this manner the said lever @rnay beQraised or lowered, thus: changing the gefiectivelength of the lever arms and com sequently. the stroke of the links 2 6.; The said lever is raised and loweredbythe pin disposed upon the said lever and actuated by the lever 36 which -.engages the quadrant 37 lower apron, and vice versa, the rigid parts of the lower apron are in contact with the situated between the latter, thus obviating all contact between hard or rigid parts.

On the contrary, by means of this disposi tion all the rigid parts of the upper apron are in contact with the flexible parts of the flexible parts of the upper apron. Instead of providing an automatic control for the links 26 by cam, crank or the like, as herein described, the control maybe carried out by hand or by pedal, by the use of suitable levers acting upon the said pivoted-frame.

The operation of the machine is as fol-' lows:

When the roller 28 enters in contact with the lower art of the cam 29, the bars of the' pivoted frame are. driven to the left, Fig.1;in such manner that the lrollers 20, 22 and the lower-part of the apron 23 are raised, and the latter. is now. 'sufiiciently separated from the lower apron 2 to: permit the Joperatorto introduce the skin between the two aprons, holding it by his" body against the cover 13. The skin is held by the hands at-each side of the machine at 39, Fig. 4. When the cam has rotated to drive forward the roller 28 moving the links 26' to the rear, the rollers 20,21,- 22 will descend causingthe inflated cushions '24 of the upperapron 23 to bear upon the skin on one side, whilethe blades 30f the lower conveyor 2'will-bear upon the skin 'from underneath.

' 23' are caused to move at the same speed and in the'same direction, orf'according to the Theactive parts of -the two aprons 2 and arrow, "and consequently the.eifect""of the cushions 24 is added to that ofthe blades 3 to draw the skin'towards the right hand side, Fig. l. Each of the'cushions 24 cooperates with the blades 3 situated under the same, whence the skin is not only stretched but also rendered more flexible. Each time that the machine is opened by means of the cam 29, the skin is moved in such manner as to treat the whole surface by such operations. I

It will be understood that when the lever 27 is moved lengthwise upon the pin 52, this will change the amount of movement of the links 26 and consequently. the pressure of the roller 20, 21, 22 upon the blade-carrying apron 2. The pressure may thus be, made greater or less according to the character of the skins under treatment.

' In the .modified" form of construction shown in Fig. 3, the rollers supporting the upper apron 23 are'mounted on a frame 56 pivoted at 57 to the machine frame and provided with an arm 56 carrying a counterweight58. This frame 56 is give'na swinging motion by means of the sliding lever 27% whieh is vertically guided upon the mathis? item and is pi d to he arm 6- The lever 27 provided with a roller 28 engaging the cam 29. The operation is sub stantially the sameas in the precedlng case.

The pressure is varied by the stretching roller 44 mounted upon the lever 12 which is pivoted to the frame 56. I

In both these constructional forms, ,a clutch of any known type may be used to momentarily'stop the action ofthe cam 29 and to leave the machine in the open position. r I

The inflated cushions 24 may be constitutedby an air chamber ofsuitable form provided with an outer covering. However t is preferable to make use-of four,'slx or which are suitably disposed .-in flexible '80 eight balls '40, Fig; 6, of the tennis ball type',

mounting such as felt, leather, or the like 7 and surrounded" by the'jlea'ther covering 41.- "This assemblage is secured to theapron by nails orfasteners'42, 43. 1 Having now described my inventiomwhat I'claim as new and ters-Patent'is:

1. A machine for treaties es "Skins and leather, (comprising two-endless aprons adapted ;to cooperate by ,partsff'of their "length which form; the active 'portions mt said *aprons', the ski-n -being inserted between said active-portions, meansfor su porting} and driving said aprons wherebytheyf move in the same direction inl'their, active portions, blades on one? apron,gairfcushions on" the other apron means'1 for1 alter nately separatingthe active portions of the one. apron against the active portion of the other apron at spaced points thereof.

2 A machine for treating hidesQskinsTand leather, comprising 'two' endless aprons adapted to cooperateby parts of their length which form the active portions ofigsaid aprons, the skin being inserted between said active portions, 'means for supporting. and driving said apronsv whereby the same will move in the same direction in their active portions, blades onone apron, air cushions on the other apron, two series of rollerssupporting the active. portions of saidfaprons,

respectively, the rollers in one series being in a staggered disposition with respect to the rollers m the other series, and means for alternately causing the series of rollers to recede from or come nearer to each other.-

3. A machine for treating hides, skins and leather comprising two endless "aprons adapted to cooperate by parts of their length which form the active portions of said aprons, the skin. being inserted between said active portions, means for supporting and d e i mr b iL- driving said aprons whereby the'same will move in thesame direction in their active "portions, blades on one apron, air cushions on the other apron, two series of rollers ,sup-

porting the active portionsofsaid aprons respectively, the rollers in one series being in a staggered disposition with respect to the rollers in the other series, a rotary cam and means operated by-said cam for alternately moving one series of rollers towards the other series and away from said other series of rollers. i

4. A machine for treating hides, skins and leather comprising two endless aprons adapted to cooperate by parts of their length which form the active portions of said aprons, the skin being inserted between said active portions, means ,for supporting and driving said aprons whereby the same will move in the same direction in their active portions, blades on one apron, air cushions on the other apron, each of said air cushions comprising hollow elasticiballs and a flexible mounting forholding the same together, .two series of rollers supporting the active portions of said aprons'respeo' tively, the rollers in one series being ina staggered disposition with respect to the rollers in the other series, a rotary cam and means operated by said cam for alternately 7 moving one series of rollers towards the 1 other series and away from said other series of rollers. a v

5. A machine for treating'hides, skins and leather comprising two endless aprons adapted to cooperate by parts of their length which form, the active portions of said aprons, the skin being inserted between said active portions, means for supporting and driving said aprons whereby the same will move in the same direction in'their active portions, blades on one apron, air cushions on the other apron, two series of rollers supporting the active ortions of said aprons respectively, the r0 lers in one series being in a staggered disposition with respect to the rollers in the other series, coupling bars upon which the rollers in one. series are rotatably mounted, parallel links pivoted at fixed points and connected to said coupling bars, an oscillating lever, a pivot for the same, connecting rods for connecting said oscillating lever to the coupling bars, a rotary cam adapted to act upon said oscillating lever and means for shifting the pivot of said lever along the latter.

6. A machine for treating hides, skins and leather, comprising two endless aprons adapted to cooperate by parts of theirlength which form the active portionsof said aprons, theskin being inserted between said active portions, means. embodylng two series of rollers for respectively supporting the aprons, and driving the-same whereby they will move in the same direction in their active portions, the rollers which support the active portion of one apron being in a staggered disposition with respect to the rollers which support the active portion of the other apron, blades onvone apron, air cushions on the other apron, an oscillating frame supporting one of the said series of,

rollers and a rotary cam operatively connected to saidoscillating frame. I V In testimony whereof I have signed my name tothis specification. I

DANIEL MERCIER. 

